OnStartups

My favorite conference both as an attendee and as a speaker is the Business of Software Conference. I've spoken there for the past three years and am once again speaking this year. There's a full video and transcript of my 2010 talk.

To give you a sense for how much I like the conference, I will share this embarrassing piece of data: Though the conference has been held in Boston for a couple of years (and again this year), and I live in Boston, I still stay at the conference hotel. I do this for one very simple reason -- I just enjoy hanging out with the BoS folks. They're my peeps.

Note: I do not make any money promoting the BoS conference. I don't even charge for speaking there (note to self: I probably should charge and just donate the proceeds or something). The only reason I write articles like this one, is I enjoy the conference and think others would too. I'm selfishly trying to draw in as many cool software people to the conference as possible, for my own amusement and enjoyment.

One quick word of warning: The registration fee is not cheap (the ticket price is currently $2,295). The show is just about sold out, but I have a discount code for OnStartups readers that brings the price down to $1,895. Use the code OSBoS11 and register on the Business of Software website.

In terms of price, I think the time you spend attending a conference far exceeds any registration fee. BoS does a great job making the most of your time. You will not hear speakers making sales pitches. No sponsored speaking slots. No booths. No multiple tracks or boring panels. Just great attendees, great speakers, in a great venue and well managed.

The conference is coming up (Oct 24-26) in Boston. If you can make it out, you should.

Here are some of pithy insights learned from prior Business of Software conferences (to whet your appetite)

Pithy Insights From Business Of Software

1) The right time to hire the first person is when you think you are going to die. [tweet]

2) Do what you are naturally good at. Starting up is hard enough as it is. [tweet]

3) Be prepared for serendipity. Viagra was originally a failed heart medication. [tweet]

This year, for some reason I find myself organizing the event so I don't think I will be able to spend as much time writing stuff down. I would really like it if we had someone that could though. If any of your readers can get to Boston and can take decent notes, get in touch and the first one that can show some ability to blog will get a free pass.

I went through and responded to each quip with a counterpoint, initially because I disagreed with the first point, but eventually to just force me to think about each one. Not all are in disagreement, and many are just deliberately contrary or describe a different, equally valid concern.

1) The right time to hire the first person is when you think their production will justify their expense.

2) Do what you really love. If you work hard at it you will get good at it, and you're more likely to do that if it's something you want to do

3) Don't expect a lucky break. What did Edison say about perspiration? Hint: it wasn't "I bet we can bottle this and convince the French to use it as perfume."

4) Monetary incentives are the best incentives. Everything else (that you can buy) can be bought with money. PS. even the best company parties suck more than the after-parties

5) Fear is not a great incentive. Positive peer pressure is a myth, but fads like "unlimited vacation policies" are a sure sign of negative peer pressure at work. Plus, if you think everyone puts your interest before theirs, you're probably being hoodwinked in more ways than you think. Better check that office supplies budget.

6) Necessity is the mother of invention. Short term always triumphs long term. Do what's needed now, but think about consequences.

7) Finish what you start. Specialists need generalists to apply their expertise.

8) If someone is copying, pivot. It costs you less momentum to change direction than a follower. Crack the whip!

9) Agreed. But the institutionalized system we call Venture Capital these days is toxic.

23) Crazy is often the status quo. Being different sometimes means becoming mundane.

24) Be consistent in your management practices until you realize what's wrong with them.

25) Make a map, and then follow it. But don't be afraid to go see where the Dragons live.

26) Company culture is going to change with every hire. Adapt to it. Hire for achievement, not personality.

27) Great ideas are indestructible, and impossible to suppress.

28) See #19 -- Go JOE! But remember a lot of things are half the battle.

29) If somebody wins, somebody else loses. TANSTAAFL!

30) Check your tide tables to make sure it's just the tide going out.

31) What's compassion then? And why is it often at odds with passion?

32) But don't become him.

33) People don't like to be sold to.

34) That might be true for an individual impulse buy, but commodities are different. If you think you're not sell a commodity, what makes you different? Apple is selling a commodity, and they're killing Bentley and Ferarri in sales.

35) Other peoples problems that is. You sell solutions.

36) Prototyping helps you figure out what not to make.

37) I hate Java design patterns too, but factories make smoke, and we all know that electronics run on smoke (when the smoke comes out, it doesn't work.) Software is a factory.

38) Customers will never tell you what they want, except by giving you money.

39) If you have to "get it" to understand something, you don't really know what you're talking about.

-Hire passionate people -Build the product with customers -Use your own product -Build products customers really want -Make it easy for customers to contact you -Allow innovation to flourish in your company